Mileage deduction for freelance work

My tax time approaches, and I foolishly realize that I haven't kept track of the mileage I've driven for freelance stuff.

Through the magic of Google Maps and saving every story on my laptop, I know what dates I was where, and how many miles I drove to get there. What I don't know is the exact odometer reading.
Soooo... do I need the odometer readings? Or not?

Use the standard federal rate for mileage -- it was something like 52 cents a mile the last time I worked freelance -- and submit it that way on your tax return. If you're audited, just call up the stories and show that you did drive the miles you said claimed.

Fair enough. I figure between the fact that the stories were published, and that the miles were driven for verified events, that should be sufficient. Seems about as cut-and-dried as mileage claims get.

Fair enough. I figure between the fact that the stories were published, and that the miles were driven for verified events, that should be sufficient. Seems about as cut-and-dried as mileage claims get.

Click to expand...

You could look at your odometer and "estimate." But that would involve math. Probably too dangerous for a journalist.